Southbridge: Jean Marie (Michaud) Murphy, of Southbridge, died on Monday June 8th in St. Vincent's Hospital at the age of 81, from heart complications.

Jean was born July 15th, 1938 in Hartford Connecticut to Auguste Michaud and Phyliss Lorraine Cole.  She is predeceased by her half-brother, Ronnie Cole, who died in 1953. Jean went to school in the Hartford area at Cathedral Elementary, Mount St. Joseph Academy and then to New Britain State College.  Jean also took courses at the University of Hartford in portraiture and thus began her lifelong pursuit of becoming a fine artist.

She met her future husband Roderick P. Murphy while working as a math aide in Boston, MA in 1961.  They were married in 1962 and had seven children, Jennifer Murphy (husband Paul Hersey), Erin Candler (husband Bob Candler), Deirdre Weedon, Roderick Murphy Jr (wife Gina Buscaglia Murphy), Ursula Murphy, Katherine Murphy and a predeceased daughter Sheila Grace.  They have 8 grandchildren, Gregory Candler, Maggie Candler, Natalie Candler, Connor Murphy, Veronica Murphy, Fran Murphy, Cara Weedon, Robert Weedon and two great grandchildren, Ava Candler and Ellie Candler.  Jean and Roderick were lovingly married for 58 years.

Jean's life was filled with philanthropic causes including adult literacy teaching and helping many Laotian families fleeing the Vietnam to settle in Southbridge after the Vietnam war.  For many years she was active with the Quinebaug Valley Arts Council.

After her family, Jean's main passion was art.  She was an accomplished traditional oil painter, pastel, charcoal and landscape artist, who also worked with other mediums including sculpture and printing making.  She was always interested in learning more and studied all over the northeast including The Art Students League of New York.   She was active in many regional art councils such as North Shore Arts Association, Princeton Portrait Group, Princeton Arts Society and the Worcester Plein Air Painters.  She was also a successful commission portrait painter and held many exhibits over the years winning numerous awards and accolades.  Jean's quote says it all, "Making art over the course of my life keeps me eager to get up each day.  There is always something new to discover about myself and the world around me.  My best creations however are my 6 children who I am so proud of."

Jean and Rod were inseparable and loved traveling extensively, including several cherished trips to Ireland, Mexico, France and Italy.  She was a devout Catholic, a great listener for her many friends and colleagues, a wonderful gardener and an excellent cook to her beloved family.  She will be missed by all who knew her.

Jean's funeral will be held on Saturday, June 13th, from the Daniel T. Morrill Funeral Home, 130 Hamilton St., Southbridge, with a Mass at 10:00am in St. Mary's Church of the St. John Paul II Parish, 263 Hamilton St., Southbridge.  Burial will follow in St. Anne's Cemetery, Sturbridge.  A calling hour in the funeral home will be held on Saturday, June 13 ^th , from 8:30 to 9:30am, prior to the Mass.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Problem Pregnancy of Worcester, 495 Pleasant St. P.O. Box 7422, Worcester, MA 01605-7422 or online at https://ppwdonations.org/donate/